Once again, I decided to throw something together. Thanks again to Jon, I have some details. As always, these statistics are unofficial and will be adjusted and updated as more information comes in. Also want to sing the praises of Gaspar Photography pictures. Please check out the page, and if you see any pictures you like, order a copy to support the cause and add to your scrap book of racing memories. Some really nice photos there.
Five divisions of racing took to John Soares Jr's three-eighth mile clay oval Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The event featured plenty of action and a few surprises. In what may be his first ever Dirt Modified feature win, Bill Wallace led from flag to flag. Wallace won some Street Stock features early on in his career and raced Wingless Spec Sprints, and he has had some top five success in Dirt Modifieds in the past. Jeff Kindt battled with point leader Tommy LaLiberte before moving on to win his second Wingless Spec Sprint feature of the season. Chris Sorensen kept his title hopes alive with his third Hobby Stock Main Event win, while runaway point leader Travis Durta won his sixth Mini Truck Main Event. In the exciting finish of the night, Justin Silveira won a drag race to the line in traffic with Patty Ryland for the victory n the Four Banger feature.
A competitor at the track throughout the last 20 years, Bill Wallace shared the front row of the 14 car Dirt Modified feature with Sean O'Gara and raced into the early laad over O'Gara and Steve Noack. Contact between Rick Karnes and Troy Foulger in Turn 2 saw Foulger spin for a lap one caution flag, ending Foulger's race. A high pass in Turn 2 gained Noack second from O'Gara on lap two, and Jeff Thomas crashed into a Turn 1 tractor tire for a lap three caution flag. Wallace led Noack, O'Gara, Dan Dozier and Dan Gonderman on the restart. Scott Busby quickly got around Gonderman and made an inside back stretch pass on Dozier for fourth on lap six. A lap later, contact between Busby and O'Gara sent O'Gara spinning. O'Gara restarted in the back as Wallace continued to lead Noack and Gonderman. Working lap nine, Mike Salazar got out of shape exiting Turn 4 and got into the front wall and rolled for a red flag. Fortunately, he was not hurt. Noack retired from the race, and Wallace led Gonderman and Karnes on the restart. A lap 14 caution flag flew for Norm Boeck on the back stretch, and Wallace maintained the lead working the inside as Gonderman took many looks to the outside. Karnes made an inside pass for second exiting Turn 2 of the 17th lap, but contact sent him spinning on the back stretch for a yellow flag. Wallace led this restart with Gonderman trying hard to make an outside move. On the last lap, Gonderman tried to go high, but Wallace maintained the lead for the victory. O'Gara had the inside line coming to the finish and beat Gonderman to the checkered flag for second. Jeff Kindt, Karnes and Gene Haney completed the order of the cars that took the checkered flag. Boeck was scored seventh ahead of Noack, Salazar and Busby. It was Karnes winning his second straight heat race ahead of Foulger. Busby won the other heat race in front of Jeff Thomas. Foulger came back to win the Trophy Dash.
There were 12 starters for the Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event, and Chuck Bradshaw paced the opening lap ahead of Jim Perry Jr. before spinning into the wall in Turn 4 for a yellow flag. Perry led the restart ahead of Tommy LaLiberte, Jeff Lee and Jeff Kindt. LaLiberte made a high move around Perry for the lead in Turn 2 of the sixth lap, and Perry suffered mechanical problems and stalled in Turn 4 for a caution flag. LaLiberte led the restart as Kindt made an outside pass in Turn 2 to take second from Lee. As Kindt set his sites on LaLiberte, Lee had his hands full fighting off Tyler Henriquez, Dan Gonderman and David Press for third. Gonderman took fourth from Lee. A lap 14 caution flag slowed the pace, and LaLiberte continued to lead Kindt, Lee and Gonderman on the restart. Working lap 16, LaLiberte's car slowed on the back stretch as Kindt gained the lead ahead of Lee, Gonderman and Press. LaLiberte limped to the pits without a caution, but he rejoined the field on the next restart in an effort to pick up a few points. While Kindt held command, Lee, Gonderman and Press waged a close battle for third until Gonderman had mechanical problems and stalled in Turn 2 for a lap 17 caution flag. Kindt led the restart, and Press made a high pass on Lee in Turn 2 for second on lap 19. Working on his best finish of the season, top five ranked rookie Trevor Press took third from Lee with a high pass in Turn 2 of the 23rd lap. Laliberte stalled on the front stretch as the leaders came to take the checkered flag, and Kindt collected his second win of the season ahead of D. Press, T. Press, Lee and Roy Fisher. Jeff Bantum was the final finisher as Laliberte, Bradshaw, Gonderman and Nick Larsen made up the balance of the top ten. Kindt won the first heat ahead of T. Press, while D. Press was the other heat winner.
The Hobby Stocks had 12 cars for this race, and title contender Chris Sorensen shared the front row with Natalie Perry for the Main Event with Jack Jonker and Dan McCown in the second row and Melissa Hansen starting back in tenth. Sorensen charged into the lead at the start ahead of Jonker and McCown. Jonker pitted with a flat tire on lap two, moving McCown and Perry into second and third. Perry had a mechanical problem on lap four and pitted to move Dave Lincoln into third. Wes Bentley and Hansen were fourth and fifth by lap five. Sorensen had a good lead, but traffic enabled McCown to close in on him by lap seven. Problems in traffic saw Lincoln spin out of third in Turn 4 for a lap eight caution flag. Sorensen chose the outside and remained the leader on the restart ahead of McCown and Bentley. Hansen had settled into fourth before a lap ten caution flag flew for debris in Turn 1. Hansen rode the outside around Bentley for third on the restart and challenged McCown for second as Sorensen continued to run impressively up front. Another yellow flag slowed things down on lap 13 when Joe Cancilla and Aaron Biels tangled coming out of Turn 2, and Lincoln used the outside second row spot on the restart to take third from Hansen. One last caution flag waved on lap 18, and McCown pitted from second with a flat tire. Sorensen maintained control on the restart and went on to victory. Lincoln was a season best second ahead of Hansen and Pat Gooding, in his best finish to date. McCown came back to finish fifth as Biels, Jonker, Randy Mentzler, Cancilla and Perry completed the top ten. Lincoln won the first heat ahead of Hansen, and McCown won the second head in front of Perry.
With Jerry Carpanello scratching, six Mini Trucks started the feature, and Dan Wagner set the early pace ahead of Pete Paulsen and Dean Cline. Sixth starter Travis Dutra made an inside pass in Turn 2 of the third lap to take third from Cline. Dutra quickly moved in to challenge Paulsen. Working lap six, contact between Ron Mayberry and Cline sent Cline into a tractor tire on the front stretch for a yellow flag. Wagner chose the outside for the restart, and a three wide battle resulted in Dutra passing both Wagner and Paulsen to take the lead. Paulsen and Mike Harmon tangled in Turn 3 for a lap 13 caution flag. Dutra led the restart and brought it home to another victory ahead of Wagner, Harmon, Paulsen and Cline. Dutra's perfect night included a heat win ahead of Cline.
Six Four Bangers started their Main Event with second row starter Ken Radabaugh leading the opening lap ahead of Mike Felt and Patty Ryland. An inside move on the back stretch of the second lap gained Ryland second, and she beat Radabauigh back to the line a lap later to take the lead. A low move in Turn 2 of the fifth lap gained Justin Silveira second, and Devon DeOdosso hit the front row for a lap six caution flag. Ryland led Silveira and Dayna Andreesen on the restart. Silveira stayed with Ryland in a close battle. Ryland continued to repel his high groove advances until traffic came into play on the final lap. Ryalnd's momentum was slowed with contact from a slower car in Turn 3. With that car in front of the leaders, Ryland went outside and Silveira went inside racing to the line. Silveira beat Ryland by inches to collect the victory. Andreesen took third ahead of Felt and Radabaugh. Ryland won the heat race ahead of Andreesen.
Next Week, five divisions will compete in what is sure to be an action packed show featuring Wingless Spec Sprints, Winged 360 Sprints, Super Stocks, Dwarf Cars and Mini Trucks. After a week off, the Dirt Modifieds will run a big event on August 28th, boasting a purse of $3,500 to win and $300 to start the Main Event. Check out the Antioch Speedway website for more information.
